Meet Me in the Middle
by peachero
Summary: PRE-HBP Hermione wants nothing more than to have a normal year, without all the drama that usually accompanies every year at Hogwarts. Draco rejects both the dark and the light and cant help but feel lost without a side. But can they stay on the outside?


Disclaimer: dont own any of it

**Meet Me in the Middle**

I've read so many DMHG stories, some amazing, and some less than that, so this is my first attempt in writing one. It's just the first chapter in what will be an epic sprawling romance drama fic starring the best two characters in the series; the two that were meant to be together but never will...(so sad i know) This is just the first chapter mainly just to set up where Draco is coming from and I apologize if he is a little out of character but i just tried to make him...i dont know how i wanted him to be so...just know its by design i'm not an idiot haha. Let me know what you think and if i should keep writing and what you think

Chapter 1

The Hogwarts Express

"I can't believe we're going to be sixth years!" exclaimed Hermione almost visibly bubbling over with excitement.

"Yeah, its pretty crazy" replied Ron with noticeably less excitement "but just find us some empty seats." He said before turning his attention back to Harry as they continued their talk about quidditch or something….

_probably quidditch_ Hermione thought to herself.

Not dismayed by her friends' lacking enthusiasm Hermione excitedly walked down the aisle of the train looking for three open seats together on the Hogwarts Express. Nothing could annoy Hermione on her favorite day of the year because she was going back to the place where she felt more at home then anywhere else in the world.

Something about the start of a new year really filled her with a sense of excitement, and strangely enough optimism which was probably naïve considering her trio's past experience with trouble literally every year. But like every year, here she was on the train determined to make the best out of the upcoming year at Hogwarts, _my second to last_ she lamented before quickly pushing the thought from her head. She was looking forward to a year without trolls breaking into the school or the constant threat of Death Eaters attacking or a Voldemort sighting, and while she knew it was probably wishful thinking she decided she was going to have a year without the drama that had been such a constant in her life.

"How bout here?" she asked, and after head nods from her two friends they sat down in an empty row.

Hermione soon realized she made a mistake sitting in between her friends as their Quidditch discussion had escalated into somewhat of a full-fledged yet good spirited argument.

"Boys please!" She yelled. "Can we please talk about something else?"

"Umm…" Harry and Ron exchanged glances "Sure. What is it that you want to talk about?" Harry replied.

"I don't know, something that's actually meaningful or important maybe?"

"Why is it exactly that you don't think Quidditch is important?" Harry said.

"Yeah, it's the biggest game in the world, how is that not important?" Ron added

"OK whatever, I, just get bored hearing about it. Especially because you two are so loud and obnoxious when you argue about it…I couldn't care less about the Chuddley Cannons."

"Alright we said OK what do you want to talk about?" Harry asked

"Well, how bout your classes? Do you even know-"

"Really!" Ron exclaimed "That's what you think is important? How can you possibly say Quidditch is boring when all you want to talk about is your next paper in Snape's class."

"Actually I do think Snape's class is very exciting. Did you here he is the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" Hermione asked.

"Oh yeah. I did hear about that." Harry said. "I'm actually interested to see how that class goes, especially since we won't be sharing his class with Slytherin this year."

"How do you know we won't be sharing DADA with Slytherin?" Ron asked

"Because we always share potions with them" Harry said

"Well knowing Snape," Ron said "he'll probably put us with Slytherin just to spite us."

"I hope not….I hope we're put Hufflepuff." Said Harry.

"Yeah that would be hilarious." Ron agreed.

"Why would that be hilarious?" Hermione asked

"Because Hufflepuff are so bad at everything." Ron explained

"Yeah that's actually kinda true Hermione, think about it. The kids that are really brave and awesome like us are put in Gryffindor, the kids who are cunning and aggressive are put in Slytherin, the kids that are really smart are in Ravenclaw, and the rest…they kinda just get thrown in Hufflepuff." Said Harry

"I don't know that just sounds kind of mean." Said Hermione, thinking it over, although she couldn't really find any fault in Harry's reasoning.

"Speaking of that," Ron said "how do you think Slytherin's team is shaping up this year?"

"It's between us and them like every year, but they do have some-

"You guys are the worst, I'm going to go walk around." With that Hermione got up and started to leave, and as she saw they had no intention of stopping her she decided to walk down the aisle and see if she could find something more interesting or at worst a quieter place to read. She was almost to the end of the train when she saw an empty row and sat down by the window.

She was about to open her book when she spotted Draco Malfoy across the aisle looking bored and annoyed as Crabbe and Goyle were having a discussion he clearly was not enjoying as much as they were…she could relate.

Suddenly he yelled " Is that all you two talk about!"

Shocked Crabbe and Goyle looked back and forth from Draco to each other searching for words.

"Draco!" a voice called from the seat in front of Hermione. "Come sit with me."

The voice belonged to Pansy Parkinson, and Draco seemed eager to go sit with her, but whether that was from a desire to be with her or just to be away from his two fumbling seatmates, Hermione couldn't tell. As he made is way toward Pansy, Hermione buried her head in her book trying not to be noticed as Draco sat down in the seat in front of her. Pansy and Draco had always been close, and while she never heard that they were officially dating, she constantly heard from the gossip that they were as close to an item as you could get.

After several minutes of trying to read her book she found the temptation to listen in on the conversation in front of her too hard to resist.

"So what was all that about anyways?" she heard Pansy ask.

"I don't know…"Draco sighed "just the same old same old. Crabbe and Goyle talking about how this was the year we are going to beat the '_muggle loving'_ Gryffindors" the last part he added with a fake excitement.

"I don't understand. That seems right up your alley doesn't it?"

"No, well yeah I want to beat them in Quidditch obviously but I feel like every third thing they say is some sort of mudblood this or muggle born that or muggle loving…I don't know it just gets old." Draco said

Pansy started to laugh "Draco, people could say the same about you, ya know. You are like the king of that kind of talk."

"Yeah I know, but there is just so long you can listen to people spew that bullshit before it just gets old, you know?"

Pansy now sounded a little confused "What do you mean bullshit?"

"I mean the whole thing. I mean I get it, what they're trying to say and all that, and I have as much fun talking down to people as the next guy, but it's like they actually believe it."

Pansy paused, really trying to make sense of what he was saying. "Believe what?" she said somewhat cautiously.

"Oh come on, the whole pureblood thing. The whole we are perfect and everything else is tainted and inferior. I know we hear it all the time, I mean its all Father talks about, but you don't actually believe it do you?" Draco sounded like he was trying hard to get a point across that Pansy was clearly not getting. " I mean I know its fun making fun of people but you know its all bullshit right?"

"Draco," Pansy talked quieter and with a greater sense of urgency in her voice "I don't know what you are saying or why you're saying it but I don't think I need to tell you how drastic the things that you are saying are but-

"I know but just look at those two over there." He said pointed to Crabbe and Goyle. "Look at them! They are as pureblooded as can be. Pure as Merlin's mother, yet there they are, bumbling idiots talking to each other like fucking over grown 6 year olds. Where's the superiority in that?" He continued " I get that we want the power and we want to be elite and Voldermort wants people to be afraid of him and all that but you know its all bullshit right? You're too smart to believe in that crap" There was some pleading in his voice.

All laughter was out of Pansy's voice now and it had now taken on a tone of deathly seriousness "Draco, listen to me very carefully, I don't know what has gotten into you or what you are saying but you are talking crazy and frankly its dangerous. You know you are like a brother to me, and I would never do anything to hurt you or put you in danger, so I'm going to tell you this: Shut up about this! Other people you talk to won't be so kind about it and they tell your parents or worse Lord Voldemort! Now I'm going to pretend you never said anything to me and I suggest you do the same. And never say anything like this to anyone again."

"Whatever" Draco said as he started to get up.

"Wait!" Pansy whispered and motioned for him to sit back down. "So that's it? You switched sides?"

"What? No! Potter Dumbledore… they're all full of shit too. I guess I'm just sick of all the bullshit, and I want no part of it."

And with that he stood up and walked down the aisle. It was only when he turned around and glared at her that Hermione realized she was openly staring at him. She had been in too much shock to even pretend to be reading her book, but now she suddenly became very engrossed on a single word at the bottom of her book and buried her head as deep as she could in it. When she looked up several moments later, he was gone, and she could finally let out her breath she had been holding for what seemed an eternity.

A/N Again let me know if I should keep writing and what you think

Thanks a lot

Peach


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